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These more formal tools and platforms are in addition to the increasing use of social media to promote open communication and idea sharing as previously discussed.
Major Collaboration Tools
Organizations in the Department of Defense community use a variety of collaboration platforms, including:
Intelink
This platform provides access to authorized users across the Department and other Agencies to SharePoint collaboration tools, instant messaging and Intelipedia, a wiki-based collaboration and information sharing tool.
Defense Connect Online
This tool provides Web conferencing (to include audio, video, chat, instant messaging, screen sharing etc.) and chat capabilities for users across the Department enterprise. Defense Connect Online (DCO) is composed of two commercial tools and a custom portal for access. Adobe Connect is the Web conferencing application and Jabber is the XMPP secure chat service and client.
Various Service and Command-Centric Platforms
Each of the Military Services maintains a variety of collaboration platforms and tools specific to their particular needs and operations. These include Defense Knowledge Online, Army Knowledge Online, Navy Knowledge Online, MarineNet and Air Force Knowledge.
Defense Collaboration Service
The new Defense Collaboration Service will take the place of Defense Connect Online and many of the individual systems being used at different commands and Department organizations. Migration is already underway and projected to be complete in the next several years. The new system will provide a standard platform across the Department including chat, video and other collaboration tools. The long-term goal is to have all Departmental collaboration tools, capabilities and activities evolve to be based on common published enterprise standards; interoperable across the variety of internet protocol based communication environments.
The Wiki Approach
Department organizations are also adopting wiki-style approaches for a variety of subject areas. These include:
DoDTechipedia
Launched in 2008 by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, DoDTechipedia is an initiative of the Defense Technical Information Center, at the direction of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering. A Department-wide scientific and technical wiki, DoDTechipedia is designed to increase communication and collaboration among Department scientists, engineers, program managers and operational Warfighters. This tool enables Department personnel to collaborate on technological solutions, reduce costs, add capability and avoid duplication. DoDTechipedia will aid in rapid development of technology and discovery of innovative solutions to meet critical capability needs and gaps. A version allowing collaboration with commercial partners is planned for the future.
ACQuipedia
Launched in 2008, ACQuipedia is a wiki-based collaborative tool for the defense acquisition community, operated by the Defense Acquisition University. ACQuipedia serves as an online encyclopedia of common defense acquisition topics. Each topic is identified as an article; each article contains a definition, a brief narrative providing context, and includes links to the most pertinent policy, guidance, tools, practices and training that further augment understanding and expand depth. At its essence, ACQuipedia provides the acquisition workforce with quick access to information in a succinct and digestible format. Article content aggregates the most relevant references and learning assets to narrowly focus users and quickly provide high value content.
Wikified Army Field Guide
Army Field Manuals (or “Army Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures”) instruct Soldiers on all aspects of Army life. As the battlefield changes rapidly, field manuals must keep pace. Under the traditional process – in which a select few were charged with drafting and updating field manuals –manuals often failed to reflect the latest knowledge of Soldiers on the ground.
Using the same free software behind Wikipedia, the Army’s “wikified” field manuals invite military personnel – from private to general – to collaboratively update the Army Tactics, Techniques and Procedures Manuals in real time. In so doing, the Army provides a secure means for battle-tested Soldiers to share their experience and advice from the field. Wikified Army Field Manuals ensure the men and women who serve our Nation have access to the best possible information when they need it.
Collaboration in Action
Spotlight: Haiti Earthquake Relief
When a devastating earthquake hit Haiti on the afternoon of January 12, 2010, governments and organizations across the globe immediately mounted an extensive rescue and relief effort. In addition to providing vital airlift and medical assistance, the Department of Defense played a key role in enabling the many different entities involved to rapidly share information and coordinate their efforts. Within a day of the earthquake, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which has geographic responsibility for Haiti, quickly activated collaboration platforms that had been in a test phase. This swift decision rapidly made available a robust capacity that dramatically aided relief efforts.
The Transnational Information Sharing Cooperation (TISC) tool was brought from a test status to an operational status almost immediately, and within another day, the related All Partners Access Network (APAN) were quickly opened up to all governmental and non-governmental groups involved in relief efforts. Within days over 1,700 organizations and individuals – representing various military units, non-governmental organizations and other entities – were using the system to coordinate their work.
The platform includes easy-to-use wikis, chat rooms, blogs, and calendaring, file-sharing and other tools to share information and coordinate massive undertakings like disaster relief. TISC and APAN clearly demonstrated the power of such a versatile platform to be effectively utilized in an urgent new situation almost immediately, well before more traditional organizational and information-sharing systems can be put into place.
The system was first developed at the US Pacific Command (PACOM) as an online community in which authorized users both inside and outside the US military could share information. Lessons learned from its use in Haiti earlier this year will be used to continue to refine the system.
Social Media Policy Development
The Office of the DoD CIO assembled a community of 100+ internal stakeholders via an Intelink-based SharePoint community implementation to participate in creation of the Internet-based Capabilities Directive-Type Memorandum released in February 2010, which “…establishes DoD policy and assigns responsibilities for responsible and effective use of Internet-based capabilities, including social networking services.”
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Training
The Naval Undersea Warfare Center built a robust virtual campus in Second Life enabling 500 users at a time to control actual tactical hardware and software via video-network.
Navy Legal Community
Navy’s Office of General Counsel developed “OGC Online,” a collaborative forum for the Department of the Navy legal community to share information, network and provide a repository for collective knowledge.
DARPA Transformative Apps
DARPA has a long history of being at the forefront of technological innovation, and the agency is now dedicating considerable resources towards a program called “Transformative Apps.” The goal of Transformative Apps is to place the right mobile software applications (“apps”) into the hands of Warfighters as they are needed. As a result of this program, a diverse array of apps of national security relevance will be realized using a new development and acquisition process, ensuring that technology reaches the Warfighter while it is still innovative and advanced.
A central military apps marketplace will be created to enable innovation to meet user needs based on a direct collaboration between a vibrant and highly competitive development community and involved communities of end-users. DARPA is seeking apps to fill a diverse set of needs, including the tactical battlefield, humanitarian missions, disaster recovery, and other mission areas. Example functionalities include command and control, reporting, mission planning, intelligence/ surveillance/reconnaissance, real-time collaboration, geospatial visualization, analysis, language translation, training, and logistics tracking.
The program will address the technical, business, and operational challenges faced to make the new capabilities rapidly available for use in the field. The end goal will result in handheld devices and apps broadly available to the lowest military echelons, a user base comprising hundreds of thousands of individuals. For more information, visit http://www.darpa.mil/tcto_solicitations.html.
DefenseSolutions.Gov: Working With Small Businesses
DefenseSolutions.gov is a portal through which innovative companies, entrepreneurs, and research organizations can offer potential solutions to the Department of Defense. This portal, and the team behind it, is designed to encourage companies that have never considered doing business with the Department to participate.
Apps for the Army
In March, 2010, the Army launched its “Apps for the Army” contest, which gives Army personnel the opportunity to demonstrate their software development skills. “Apps for the Army” applications may tackle any aspect of Army information technology – distributed training, battle command, career management, continuing education or news and information distribution, for example. Winners will receive monetary awards from a cash pool totaling $30,000, and the contest will itself use the Army Knowledge Online collaboration system. More information can be found at http://armylive.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/03/apps-for-the-army-challenge-is-here/.